Man convicted of raping daughter’s friend

Holding a man guilty of raping a 15-year-old friend of his daughter, a fast track court has told delay by victim in lodging complaint of sexual violence should not be a mitigating factor for conviction of accused as it is agonising for victims to confide in such cases.

“Sexual assault destroys the entire psychology of a woman and pushes her into deep emotional crisis….

“We cannot expect the victim of a sexual assault to cry in the middle of the road that she has been raped or to visit the police station alone for the lodging of the complaint in this regard, when she has nobody to trust around her,” according to the judge of the fast track court set up here in the aftermath of December 16 gang-rape case.

Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat told that sexual assault is the most hated crime and it needs “immense courage” on part of the woman to disclose such crime against her to her well-wishers and police.

“Sexual assault destroys the entire psychology of a woman and pushes her into deep emotional crisis. It is a crime against basic human right of a woman and thus is the most hated crime.

“Victim of sexual assault feels it embarrassing and against her honour and dignity to disclose the incident even to her near relations or well-wishers. It takes immense courage for her to apprise her close relations or friends about the incident,” According to the judge.

The court held Surya Prakash guilty of raping the minor girl who was his daughter’s friend and turned down his plea that case against him should be dismissed as the girl had filed complaint days after the incident.